Page 55 of Teacakes & Tangos
But this time it was me who pulled away gently.
‘You’re right, Xander. Neither of us should be falling headlong into another relationship. Not after everything we’ve been through.’ I gazed up at him and forced myself to say, ‘Actually, I’m really shattered. I think I just need an early night.’
He smiled and looped a lock of hair gently behind my ear. A delicious quiver ran through me at the touch of his fingers on my neck.
‘I’m not surprised you’re tired after all the long days and nights sitting by your dad’s bed. So I’ll leave you now to get some rest, okay?’
‘Okay. Probably best.’
He took the envelope with the cash in it from the table and held it up. ‘Last chance?’
Smiling, I shook my head, and with a resigned look, he slid it into his pocket.
At the front door, we said our goodbyes and Xander took a gentle hold of my arms and kissed me very firmly on the mouth.
I retreated inside after I’d waved him off, feeling exhausted but happy. It might have been the tiredness but I felt light-headed and pleasurably dizzy, as if I was floating several inches off the ground.
I smiled to myself.
It must be the ‘Xander Effect’ . . .
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
When my mobile rang just before eight the next morning, I ran to get it because I was sure it must be Xander.
It was telepathy. He probably knew I’d been thinking about him non-stop since the previous night.
I’d finally admitted to myself that I was falling head over heels for this man and that I was utterly helpless to stop myself. Not that I’d everwantto stop these powerful emotions that kept rushing at me at odd moments and filling me with a feeling of delirious happiness.
The fact was, I’d never felt so happy in my life. And I’d never felt as certain as I was now that this was a relationship that could last...
With Loathsome Les, the feelings hadn’t been anywhere near as strong. Time spent with Xander felt so different to that.
It felt like he truly could be The One.
It was actually Lyndsay’s name that had flashed up on my phone, not Xander’s. But that was almost as good because I was suddenly bursting to tell someone how I was feeling – and Lyndsay was the perfect friend to talk to because she actually knew Xander!
‘Hi! How’s things?’ I asked, breathless from my race to the phone. ‘How was your date night with Jon?’
‘Good.’ There was an odd silence. Then all in a rush, she said, ‘Oh, Anika, I had to phone you.’
‘Why? What’s happened?’ I asked in alarm, having picked up the dread in her voice. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Yes, yes, I’m fine. I’m on the bus on my way into work.’
‘Right. I thought I could hear chatter in the background.’
‘Yes, well, anyway, so I’ve just picked up a copy ofThe Oracle. You know, the free local newspaper. And... well, there’s aphoto on the front page... and I just can’t believe it. I actuallydon’tbelieve it, which is why you have to get your hands on a copy, Anika, and have a look for yourself and you can tell me I’m wrong. Because the thing is, Imustbe wrong... I really must...’
Her voice was dying away. The signal must be bad.
‘What do you mean, a photo?’ I called in a panic. ‘A photo of what?’
‘Well, that’s just it...’ I heard her very faintly for a few seconds more, as if she was moving further and further away from me.
And then the phone went dead.
*****
